Colo. schools will no longer offer soda

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DENVER, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Schools in Colorado school system will no longer be allowed to sell sodas or other sugary drinks to students, state officials say.

The Colorado Board of Education implemented new regulations Wednesday that ban the sale of all sodas, including diet sodas, in school vending machines and cafeterias in an attempt to improve students' health, the Rocky Mountain News said.

Board member Evie Hudak defended the decision to ban the sale of diet sodas along with all sugary beverages, saying the beverage could lead to unhealthy choices.

"If they're allowed diet soda, kids get in the habit of drinking soda," she said.

The regulations allow for the sale of low-fat milk, low-fat flavored milk and milk substitutes in schools statewide.

Juices can also be sold in elementary and middle schools under the new regulations, while high schools can offer low-calorie beverages such as sport drinks.

Board member Elaine Gantz Berman said the regulations are intended to prevent Colorado children from embracing unhealthy eating habits, the News reported.

"I am paying for the healthcare of diabetic children. I am paying for the healthcare of obese children," she said.